‘Operation Restore Sanity’ nets illegal vendors

Tendai Gukutikwa Weekender CorrespondentILLEGAL Mutare city vendors have been told to move back to their designated selling points and not keep selling their wares from any place in the city.

Mutare Regional Magistrate Mrs Sekai Chiundura said those who defied the order risked incarceration. Mrs Chiundura said this as she sentenced nine vendors who had appeared in court facing vending without a licence charge.

“Go back and sell your wares from the designated points that were allocated to you by the city. You cannot be selling in front of a supermarket and in the pavements leaving no room for pedestrians to walk freely. $10 fine

“If you come back in this court facing the same offence, you will be incarcerated without the option of a fine,” said Mrs Chiundura

They were all ordered to fork out $10 each in fines or risk five days imprisonment. Constable Christopher Bote arrested the nine while he was deployed on what is being dubbed as “Operation Restore Sanity” together with some members of the Zimbabwe National Army in the Mutare Central Business District.

In a similar incident and at the same court, at least 20 more illegal vendors appeared before magistrate Perseverance Makala on Wednesday facing the same charges.

Some of the vendors included Potifah Mushati, Kevin Mukoyi, Justice Siyakonza, Munyaradzi Mavhiza, Gift Masimba and Edwin Chingwaru. They were all fined $20 or risked 10 days imprisonment if they failed to pay the fine.